One of the Guys
by The Prettiest Thing
Summary: Ryoma comes back to Japan and attends an all boys' high school. Sakuno, wanting to see him again, reluctantly enrolls in the same school in the disguise of a guy. How will Sakuno cope with attending and living in a school full of boys? RyoSaku
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:__I am in no way associated with Prince of Tennis, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter I**

"Sakuno! Sakuno!" cried Tomoka Osakada, running towards her best friend. "BIG NEWS! _Ryoma-sama_ is coming back to Japan!" In her hands was the latest edition of _Tennis Pro _magazine.

"Ehh!" exclaimed Sakuno, turning around sharply from her tennis practice. "Ryoma-kun… is coming back?"

Her heart gave a little thump. Memories flooded her mind. She missed Ryoma Echizen. The last time they had met was two years ago at the airport when he left for America to attend the U.S. Open. Ever since then, Sakuno had only seen his pictures in sports magazines and newspapers, praising his skills and achievements.

The thought of Ryoma's return brought a smile to Sakuno's face. They might even be in the same school together! Sakuno Ryuzaki was going to be in high school soon. She still hadn't decided which one to attend because there were so many schools to choose from and many of the schools had good tennis clubs.

"Mhmm… and look here," said Tomoka, pointing to a page with Ryoma's picture embedded on it. "It says that he's going to be attending Seishun Gakuen High School." Tomoka squealed and jumped up and down in excitement. "Now we can finally see Ryoma-sama again! Isn't that great, Sakuno!"

"Mm... But, Tomo-chan, isn't that an all-boys' school? How are we going to see Ryoma if we're not even allowed on the school's grounds?"

"Eh… I didn't think about that. Hehe…" Tomoka replied sheepishly. "Hmm… hey, Sakuno, you still haven't decided which high school to go to, right?"

Sakuno scrutinized her friend. Her eyes were filled with suspicion. _Tomo-chan was up to something_, she thought. "Yes…" she answered reluctantly.

She saw Tomo-chan's left eye flinch. _Aha! She _was_ up to something!_ "What do you want me to do _now_, Tomo-chan?"

In a mocking tone, Tomoka answered, "God, Sakuno, how could you think that way about me, your best friend since junior high?" Sakuno only rolled her eyes. "Ah, all right, fine, fine. You got me. Your perceptiveness can be really annoying sometimes, you know, Sakuno. Anyway, since I've already chosen my high school, I can't go to Seigaku HS. But…"

"I have a bad feeling about this..." mumbled Sakuno.

"But _you_ haven't chosen yet! So that leads us to my ingenious idea!" Tomoka displayed a wide set of teeth and looked at Sakuno slyly. "You, Sakuno Ryuzaki, will be attending Seishun Gakuen High School with Ryoma-sama!"

Sakuno eyes widened in shock. She tried to open her mouth but all that came out was a gasp of air. She was speechless. Of all the 'brilliant' ideas that Tomo-chan had come up with, this was by far the most outrageous. Definitely overrated too. Regaining her ability to speak, she cried, "WHAT! Tomo-chan, are you crazy? I'm going to be caught! There is no way I could pass off as a guy!"

She gestured towards herself. "Look at me and tell me if I look like a guy to you with these long pigtails…" Sakuno held up her hair. "And this skirt!" She pointed at her pink, twirly skirt. "Or am I just a very, _very_ homosexual male?"

Tomoka sighed. She was expecting this reaction. After all the numerous times she had used Sakuno as her guinea pig for her ideas, she was getting used to Sakuno's outbursts. Despite the protests, Sakuno eventually ended up submitting to Tomoka's schemes anyway.

"Sakuno, Sakuno, calm down. My dear, this is where you need my expertise. I, the ever-so-clever Tomoka, will make you over so that no one will recognize you (except me, of course)!" she boasted. "And besides, don't you want to see Ryoma-sama?"

Sakuno argued, "Well, yes, but—"

"Then it's settled then. Come by my house tomorrow and bring your high school application with you. We'll submit your form with your preferred school of choice and I can get my mom to fix your hair. I'll do the outfits. Bye, Sakuno! See you tomorrow!" Tomoka gave her a big grin and dashed off before Sakuno could make another objection.

"Ugh… what have I gotten myself into… _again_?" Sakuno sulked all the way home with her braids hung lethargically on her back. She would just have to knock some sense into Tomo-chan tomorrow. For now, she needed to concentrate on her tennis skills.

Her _obaa-chan _(grandma), a former coach at Seigaku Jr. High who just retired recently, had coached her everyday before and after school. With her grandmother's guidance, Sakuno had been able to reach her full potential. Her serves were great: powerful and required much concentration. Her returns were just as good. Her technique and playing style… well, let's just say that they were all entirely Sakuno. Not in the negative sense, of course. Sakuno had an unrivaled determination. When she set her heart on something, she would never waver from her heart's desire.

Her obaa-chan even complimented her yesterday, saying her skills might have even rivaled that of Nanjiroh Echizen back in his day. Sakuno had glowed with pride then. She was going to become the best female tennis player and aim for the world! _Just like Ryoma-kun_, she added to herself.

1

**A Note from the Author: **_I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter of this story. I've always liked this plot and it never fails to amuse me every time it's used. Remember, reviews are always helpful to the author. They inspire me to keep on writing. Without readers, where would us writers be?_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer:_ _I am in no way associated with Prince of Tennis, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter II**

A finger pressed on the shiny brass button next to a newly-painted, white door. _Ding, Dong. _The sound echoed throughout the two-story house. "Coming!" shouted a female voice inside. There was a lot of shuffling inside the house, until finally the door unlocked, revealing Sakuno's best friend of three years: Tomoka Osakada.

"Sakuno! Hello, hello! My mom's waiting in the kitchen with all the supplies, so undo your braids before you go in." Tomoka looked into the distance for any sign of people they knew.

Sakuno fiddled with her fingers before saying, "Well, umm… about that, Tomo-chan... I don't think I can do this..." _Why am I so nervous? I had this whole conversation planned!_ thought Sakuno.

"But, _Sakuno_! You can't back out _now.._." _How am I going to persuade her to go through with this_, thought Tomoka frantically. _I know!_ _I'll try the guilt factor._ "You know, Sakuno, my mom had to take a day off from work just to work on your hair. I had to beg her and everything! Is this how you want to repay her kindness? I'm even setting you up so that you could see Ryoma-sama everyday! I thought we were best friends…"

Sakuno was torn and bit her bottom lip in frustration. After all, not only was Tomoka helping her, but even Tomoka's mother! _What am I going to do?_, thought Sakuno. _It would be disrespectful to refuse this offer, especially since her mother even took a day off from work. I can't believe I'm going to end up going through this…_

From the scrunched up look on Sakuno's face, Tomoka knew that she had "caught" Sakuno. "Hook, line, and sinker," she added to herself quietly. Although she had stated that her mother took a day off from work, it wasn't _all_ true. Truth was, today was her mother's day off by default. Her mother didn't _choose_ to take a day off. What was a little white lie anyway?

Tomoka beamed. _Well, that's for me to know and for Sakuno to never find out_. _Hehe. _"Shall we, Sakuno?" she asked, ushering her into the house.

"Um… yes. All right." Sakuno removed her shoes and walked to the kitchen where Tomoka's mother stood. Tomoka's mother had brown hair, just like Tomoka. She worked as a teacher at an elementary school near their home. Mrs. Osakada loved children and it only made sense that she had many kids herself, and had acquired a teaching position.

"Hello, Sakuno-chan," greeted Tomoka's mother. Sakuno did her best to smile and look as cheerful as possible. The woman smiled at her as well. "It's nice to see you today, dear. Tomoka tells me that you wanted a haircut because your braids were getting in the way of your tennis playing. I can't say that it isn't long. I'm glad you've chosen to cut it. As women get older, they cut their hair shorter and shorter. You're growing up so fast…"

Tomoka rolled her eyes. Her mother rambled on way too much. "Mom…"

_My hair conflicting with my tennis?_, thought Sakuno. It reminded her of Ryoma's advice to her long ago. "Your hair is too long," he had said. She had chosen to ignore those words because frankly, she liked her hair the way it was. It set her apart from everyone else.

"Now, sit on this chair over here and I'll cut your hair. You have beautiful hair. I wish my hair was as silky as yours. Well, going back on subject, how do you want it?" asked Mrs. Osakada.

"Umm… I would like to look like a boy, please."

Tomoka's mother looked confused. "A boy?"

Sakuno's face flushed several shades of red. "Umm… well… you see…" She shot Tomoka a look of panic. _TOMO-CHAN!_ _Help me!_

Tomoka, however, didn't seem to comprehend Sakuno's message. _Why is Sakuno looking at me with her eyes wide open like she's in a total panic?_, she thought._ Is she choking or something?_

"Well, never mind me, dear. What do you say to a pixie cut? Your hair will be short, but from a certain angle, you'd still look like a girl. How about it?"

Sakuno sighed. _Never mind, Tomo-chan._

Tomoka still looked quite perplexed. _What was Sakuno trying to tell me,_ she wondered to herself.

_I suppose a pixie cut would be all right. I could still keep some of my femininity_, thought Sakuno, pondering the idea in her head. "Yes. Yes, please!" _That way, I won't look too much like a guy, _she added to herself.

Snippets of lustrous, brown hair fell onto the tiled floor. Sakuno's pride and joy was cut off piece my piece. _Snip, Snip, Snip._ It pained her to see her hair flutter to the ground like bird feathers riding on the wind's breeze. She shut her eyes and tried to divert her thoughts onto other things. Her mind settled on the thought of Ryoma. "Ryoma-kun…" she whispered softly.

The snipping stopped. "Did you say something, Sakuno-chan?"

Sakuno blushed. "Umm… no. Please continue." _This is all for Ryoma-kun_, she thought. _I'm finally going to see him again!_

After half an hour, a mirror was handed to her and Sakuno admired her reflection. She did look a lot more like a guy. Her once long brown hair had been trimmed to a few centimeters below the tips of her ears. Even _she_ herself didn't recognize the girl—no, boy—on the other side of the mirror.

"Wow, Sakuno! You look like a very cute guy!" praised Tomoka, grabbing Sakuno's hands and jumping up and down excitedly.

Sakuno smiled. The haircut wasn't bad at all. In fact, she rather liked it. It was more sophisticated and made her look a few years older than she really was.

"I'm going to grab the vacuum upstairs, so I'll leave you girls here for a few minutes," said Mrs. Osakada as she walked up the stairs.

Tomoka tapped Sakuno's arm. "Sakuno, let me see you high school application form. I'm going to make a few changes." Sakuno handed it to her. "Since you're going to be a guy now, we're going to have to change your name." The ink in the pen Tomoka had been holding flowed freely on the paper, like a figure skater on ice. "Now I did some thinking last night and I thought that rather than changing your name completely, why not just drop the '—no' in _Sakuno _and change _Ryuuzaki_ to _Sasaki?_" Tomoka explained, "By removing the '-no' from your first name, your name becomes more masculine. Yet… Saku could also be a girl's name. So it isn't necessarily a masculine or feminine name."

Sakuno was still processing Tomoka's words. "So my name becomes—"

"Saku Sasaki. That's right. It has an interesting ring to it, too. Saku Sasaki, _Saku Sasaki_…" Tomoka repeated the name to herself several times. "Yes, it's perfect." She filled out the application and rushed outside to the mailbox. "I'll just mail this in, okay, Sakuno?"

But Sakuno wasn't paying attention. Her mind had wandered off. No longer was she Sakuno Ryuzaki, but rather, _Saku Sasaki_. If she wanted to pass up as a guy, she needed to adopt a boy's name. "Ah… un." She nodded. "Go ahead, Tomo-chan."

Her first day of school would begin soon and she needed to adopt male habits to make her role more authentic, in addition to practicing her tennis skills. _I think I'll go people-watching and observe how people act._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_New York, USA. 9:34 AM._

"Oi, _shounen_!" shouted Nanjiroh Echizen, opening the door that led to Ryoma's room. "Eh? Still asleep, I see… hmm… Karupin, wake up Ryoma." Furry ears pricked up. Two small paws appeared from under the bed, then a head, and finally the other two legs and Karupin's bushy tail. Karupin jumped up onto Ryoma's bed and positioned himself at the foot of the bed and cuddled.

Nanjiroh felt irritated and he scratched his nose. "Hey, hey, you stupid cat, I said to wake him up, not imitate him!" Karupin opened his blue eyes for a moment and then closed them again. "Grr… why are you ignoring me? I am your master!" Karupin purred softly in his sleep. Nanjiroh, remembering his original purpose of barging into Ryoma's room, pulled off the covers of the bed, revealing Ryoma in navy blue shorts and a white tee.

Ryoma felt a cold breeze from the open window sweep through his bare legs and he shivered. "So you're finally awake, eh, shounen?" observed Nanjiroh. Nothing could escape his sharp vision, not even age. After all, he wasn't named 'Samurai' for nothing.

"Five more minutes… Oyaji," mumbled Ryoma, pulling the covers back up again. "It's too early…"

"Our flight is in two hours!" reminded Nanjiroh. "You're always late for everything so I made sure to wake you up early. Get out of bed and help me carry the suitcases to the cab."

"Yeah… after I get a bit more sleep…" yawned Ryoma, stretching his arms.

"Grr… look, if you wake up now, we'll play a match before we leave," bribed Nanjiroh. _Tennis is that boy's life. There's no way he's going back to bed now._

Slowly, as if on cue, Ryoma's eyelids opened, revealing a pair of cat-like, amber eyes. "A match?" he asked, clearly showing interest. He stretched both his arms above his head and rolled away the covers. "I'm awake then."

"Hehe…" Nanjiroh grinned. "The suitcases are downstairs so just bring them into the cab. Your mother and your cousin are preparing breakfast. Hurry up or I won't feel like playing against you today."

"Yeah, yeah…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Japan. 3:04 PM._

"What a beautiful day it is today! The _sakura_ are in full bloom. Such beautiful cherry blossom petals…" murmured Sakuno during her stroll through the tree-lined park. "The perfect day to go people-watching." Today she had worn white polo and long, red shorts. She brought a thin, gray scarf and a pair of tinted glasses to disguise her identity.

Spotting a wooden bench to her left, Sakuno sat down. Almost immediately, she spotted someone who looked very familiar. It was a boy wearing a _Seigaku HS_ uniform who wore glasses and was the tallest out of the group.

"Ah! Tezuka-buchou!" cried Sakuno in surprise. Instantly, she clasped her hands over her mouth. She was too late. He had seen her.

Tezuka Kunimitsu, however, was not alone. Accompanying him were six other boys, four of whom were wearing similar tennis jerseys. It was like a reunion of the Seishun Gakuen Middle School boys' tennis club regulars. _Oishi-sempai, Fuji-sempai, Inui-sempai, Kawamura-sempai, Momo-sempai, Kaidoh-sempai, Eiji-sempai... _Sakuno counted silently. _The only one missing is… Ryoma-kun. Ryoma-kun…_

"Have we met before?" asked Tezuka-buchou's stern voice, forcing her back into reality. "You just called me captain and you even knew my name."

"Eto…" Sakuno frantically racked her brains for an excuse. "Eto… my cousin, Ryuzaki Sakuno, was in Seishun Gakuen Middle School with all of you when she was in her first year. She told me about your matches."

Tezuka stared at her. If he questioned her words, he did not utter a word. He merely nodded, as if to say '_Your explanation is questionable, but I will not inquire further because I have better things to do.'_ Tezuka walked back to his teammates and they all continued walking.

A pair of crystal blue eyes looked back at her. _Something about that boy was oddly familiar_, the prodigy observed, and proceeded to walking with the group towards the tennis courts.

\ 2 \

**A Note from the Author:** Yes, this plot is very similar to Hanazakari No Kimitachi E (Hana-Kimi / For You In Full Blossom) and POWER! (Girl Got Game). In fact, I used both of these manga as foundations for my story. Readers of either/both of these manga may find many similarities. The only major difference is that I will be giving this plot my own flavor. It will not be identical to another, but for sure they will be somewhat similar.

Thanks to the many wonderful reviews I received! I appreciate everyone's support and constructive criticism. Please continue to read and review _One of the Guys_.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer:_ _I am in no way associated with Prince of Tennis, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter III**

"First years and all returning students to Seigaku High School, please stand and rise for the opening ceremony!" There was much commotion and screeching of chairs being pushed back as the students stood in response near the gates.

"Oi, Echizen! Come over here!" waved Momoshiro, spotting a slightly tall boy leaning against a _sakura_ tree.

"ECHIZEN?" murmured several students who instantly recognized the name.

"Geez, Momo-senpai, you haven't changed at all. Still loud, I see…" said Echizen, grinning while walking over to his best friend.

Echizen Ryoma had grown impressively, thanks to Inui's prescription of 2-3 glasses of milk a day. He was just a few centimeters short of Momoshiro's height. His body was still lean and had developed more muscles from years of playing tennis. Although Ryoma was still going through puberty, his face remained unchanged. He still had his boyish looks and those cat-like eyes.

Suddenly, a young man ran in through the gates as they were closing and panted, "I made it! Finally! Getting lost on my first day of school… of all days!" Several students laughed at him. The boy instantly turned a faint shade of red. "Ah! I'm sorry everyone! _Gomenasai!_"

The boy looked slightly familiar to Ryoma, but he couldn't match the boy's face with a name. _I've seen him before… but where?_

The booming voice of the principal interrupted his thoughts. "All students must go into the gymnasium where you will see your names posted on the bulletin board. On that list will be your assigned dormitory and your roommates."

Momoshiro grinned while facing Ryoma. "All right! Let's go Echizen. I'm getting hungry… Let's hope we get to share a room. At the very least, be in the same dormitory." He grabbed Ryoma's shirt and dragged him into the gym.

Scanning the list for their names, they found the following:

DORMITORY A

**Echizen Ryoma** - Inui Sadaharu

Kaidoh Kaoru – **Momoshiro Takeshi**

**Sasaki Saku** - Fuji Syuusuke

Kikumaru Eiji – Oishi Shuichiro

Kunimitsu Tezuka – Kawamura Takashi

"Hmm… Man, we aren't sharing a room. Let's see… I know everyone in our dormitory except for some guy named Sasaki Saku," commented Momoshiro. "He's going to be rooming with Fuji-senpai. I wonder what he's like."

"Nnn…" _I'm with Inui-senpai. Damn, how annoying. _After a few minutes of silence, Echizen picked up his belongings. "Momo-senpai, I'm going to head over to my room and unpack."

"Eh? I'll go with you. Maybe Taka-san brought some sushi!" Momoshiro grinned. "Eh? Echizen? Where did he go…? Oi, Echizen, wait up! You can't go around disrespecting your senpai like that!"

After watching them leave, Sakuno looked at the list and spotted her name. "I'm with… Fuji-senpai…" she said disappointedly. "I wanted to share a room with Ryoma-kun, but I guess that can't be helped." _Be optimistic, Sakuno,_ a voice that oddly sounded like Tomo-chan shouted in her head. "Right, I've got to think positive. Well, at least he's in the same dormitory as I'm in so I'll still be able to see him, ne, Tomo-chan?"

"Who's Tomo-chan?" asked a voice.

"Eh?" _Ah! It's Fuji-senpai! Oh no, does he recognize me?_

"Ah, gomen. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Fuji Syuusuke. And you are…?"

Sakuno sighed in relief. _Oh, good. He doesn't seem to recognize me._ "Sasaki Saku."

"Ah! You're my roommate then." Fuji smiled, his crystal blue eyes twinkling, and offered his right hand. "Nice to meet you."

Sakuno extended her hand as well and couldn't help but admire Fuji-sempai's slender arm. _His arms are so thin and slender. He could almost pass up as a girl._

"Now that we've met and introduced ourselves, let's go unpack, hm?" suggested Fuji.

"Umm… sure." The two of them gathered their suitcases and proceeded towards the dormitory.

The dormitory was a plain, white building with several rooms. The rooms were very uniform and organized. Each one looked exactly alike with blue bedspreads and white pillows. Everything in the rooms was designed to coordinate with the school's colors: white and blue. The school colors were expressed from the carpet to the soap.

"It's so beautiful!" Sakuno exclaimed, running through all the rooms. "Wow… even the toilet paper matches the walls!" She ran towards the end of the hallway and bumped into a familiar figure. "Ah! Gomenasai! Sorry, sorry!" she apologized without looking up.

"Hmph. You aren't very bright if you're running through the hallway when you know there are people carrying and unloading their things," the boy said matter-of-factly.

"Gomenasai…" She bowed, then paused. _That voice!_ She looked up. "Ryoma-kun!"

"Eh? My name _is_ Echizen Ryoma. But you and I just met so you are in no position to be calling me 'Ryoma-kun'. I don't even know you. Call me Echizen," Ryoma told her. "I know practically everyone in this dorm except for one person." Seeing the unfamiliar face, he asked, "You're the one who was late for the ceremony. Sasaki-san, right?"

"No—I mean YES! Yes, I am!" Sakuno blushed. _What am I doing! This is Ryoma-kun! There's no reason to be nervous!_

Ryoma looked her straight in the eye then pulled his cap down. "Whatever. Bye." He walked past what he thought was a short guy who happened to act like a klutz. _A serious waste of my time_, he thought. _I could be practicing tennis instead. Speaking of which, I'm going to test out the school's courts._

Sakuno felt her body relax and she sighed. "I'm an idiot..."

Sakuno trudged to her shared dorm room with a heavy heart. It was only the first day and already Ryoma had a bad first impression of her. _Things never go the way I picture them to be. I regret coming to this school. I should have told Tomo-chan that I really didn't want to do it. _Sakuno let out an exasperated sigh.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Classes had begun and students filed into their scheduled classes.

"Good morning, everyone. I will be one of your teachers for this school year. I am Konami-sensei. I will be teaching English literature and drama. Thank you all for your interest in the performing arts. I hope we have an enjoyable school year," greeted the new teacher.

Three rows from the front, near the window, three young faces looked up at her with disparate expressions: the smiling face of Fuji Syuusuke, the anxious face of Sasaki Saku, and the blank expression of Echizen Ryoma.

"This year," continued the sensei. "We are going to be exploring possible careers in the arts. I will divide everyone into groups and each student will be assigned one of the following duties..." Konami-sensei turned around and began writing. "Playwright. Director. Actors." She paused. A murmur of excitement swept the room. "I'm not finished yet. The purpose of this activity is to introduce you to and help you familiarize with different roles in the film industry. The activity will last for exactly one month." She continued on for several more minutes explaining each role.

"Can we choose our groups now?" interrupted a tall boy in the back.

Konami-sensei was about to scold him, but refrained from doing so because she knew she had been droning. "All right. But please pick groups in an efficient manner. No pushing and shoving."

As the other students found their way towards their friends, Fuji turned to both Ryoma and Sakuno. "Sasaki-san, Echizen, would you two like to group with me?"

Sakuno smiled, feeling relieved. "Hai, Fuji-senpai." She was still a bit shy and thanked Fuji-senpai silently for saving her the trouble of having to look around for people to form a group with. That, and the fact that he invited Ryoma-kun too.

Ryoma only tipped his cap. He didn't need to use words when it came to Fuji-senpai. Fuji-senpai knew what he meant. They had both reached a level of understanding when they had played against each other during the junior high years. Tennis in the rain… Ryoma could still remember that time. And from the glint in Fuji's eye, he too could clearly recall their match.

"Now all we need is one more person," said Fuji, scanning around the room. "Ah, Onitsuka-san! Come join us!" He waved to a tall boy sitting in the back.

Konami-sensei's silenced the excited chattering voices of the students. "Now that everyone has formed their groups, everyone will be assigned a role." She listed each individual's name next to one of the roles.

Director - Fuji Syuusuke

Actors – Echizen Ryoma, Onitsuka Hajime  
Playwright – Sasaki Saku

Ryoma frowned. He had no experience with acting. His life revolved around tennis and sports so he didn't invest his time and energy doing other activities.

Sakuno looked a bit nervous. _I'm going to be writing the play! ME! This has got to be some cruel joke… I can't possibly write! I don't know what to write about. Tennis? No, that would bore everybody else. Umm… personal experience? That sounds good, I guess. So all I have to do is write a particular aspect of my life, without making it obvious that it's… well, MY life. Should be easy enough._

Hajime and Fuji exchanged looks and laughed at the facial expressions of the other two. "This is going to be a _very_ interesting experience," said Fuji.

\ 3 \

**A Note from the Author:** Please excuse the extremely long delay (several months, as a matter of fact) with this chapter. School has kept me busy, as I'm sure many of you realize. It's winter break so I finally have a chance to write the continuation of this story.

Again, thank you to the reviews I have received for the past two chapters. I hope you continue to show your support for this story.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer:_ _I am in no way associated with Prince of Tennis, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter IV**

Class seemed to pass much more quickly than she had thought. Sakuno had been sitting on her seat, forcing herself to come up with ideas for their play. Her light brown eyes were unfocused and her eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. She had become engrossed in her own thoughts that she failed to notice her fellow classmates, including her own group, leaving the classroom.

"Sasaki-san, aren't you going to take advantage of your lunch break?" called Fuji, standing under the door frame. "School hours are long so you'll need to eat to sustain your energy." _You look malnourished for a guy…_

Sakuno looked up. "Lunch?"

Fuji chuckled. "Yes. I'm your roommate so I'll be watching out for you. Now, come on, you can sit with me in the cafeteria."

Sakuno smiled at him. _Fuji-senpai is so kind…_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So Sasaki-san," asked Fuji, picking up his food with chopsticks. "What are your hobbies? I figured that since we're going to be roommates, we should get to know each other."

"My main interests are tennis and cooking." She looked down and added, "I'm not very good at anything else…"

Fuji didn't seem to hear her last sentence. "Ah! Girls always appreciate guys who can cook. And I love playing tennis too. I'm one of the regulars at this school's tennis team. If you haven't heard already, tryouts are going to be in two days. I hope you'll be trying out Sasaki-san."

Sakuno nodded. "That's one of the main reasons I came to this school. I want to test my skills against the district's top players." A_nd to be with Ryoma-kun_, she added silently to herself.

"Good, good. Say, you want to have a practice match after lunch?" offered Fuji.

"Eh? Um, sure."

Directly after the lunch, they collected their equipment and began warming up. Tennis balls blazed from both ends of the tennis courts as Sakuno watched in amazement.

"Ready, Sasaki-san?" Fuji called from the other side of the court.

"Hai."

The two played a light tennis match and ended with a score of 5-7, Sakuno's win.

_He's good_, analyzed Fuji, panting. _Perfect form, strokes, and a brilliant, yet familiar, technique. I've seen that technique before. Reminds me of Ryuzaki-sensei's tennis style. _Fuji turned his attention to the boy. "You've got skills."

Sakuno beamed. "I would say we were evenly matched."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So the new kid actually has some skills," observed Ryoma from a bench. He had been in the tennis courts resting after having played a practice match. _He interests me._ _I'll have to challenge him some time. It seems like that kid is holding something back. I'll make him show it to me in a match. Heh, I've got myself a challenge._

He opened a can of _Ponta_ and walked toward the gate leading back to the dorms. All the while, he kept muttering the name "Sasaki Saku" to himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Soon, tennis tryouts began. All the participants were divided into blocks and the two winners of each block would become regulars.

As expected, the regulars from previous years had won their matches. There were two newcomers to the regular team this year: Ryoma Echizen and Saku Sasaki.

"Hmm…" observed Tezuka. He had expected Echizen to get a regular spot, but that Sasaki was quite a surprise. He glanced at Inui who was busy scribbling furiously in his notebook. "Inui." No response. Again, he repeated Inui's name.

Inui looked up. "Yes?"

"About that Sasaki…"

"You need data? Let me see…" Inui said, flipping several pages back. "This one is fairly new so there is still much data to gather. So far, all I know is that Sasaki is playing it safe. There's been no pressure for him to display anything out of the ordinary. Basically, he's playing by the book."

Inui closed his notebook. "It seems you have taken an interest in this one, Tezuka." Tezuka didn't respond. "And it looks like you're not the only one." Inui nodded in the direction of the courts where Echizen had his gaze fixed.

_What is he hiding?_ thought Ryoma, observing Sasaki play a practice match against a second-year.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The stench of perspiration consumed the locker rooms as boys filed in.

Sakuno was the last to enter the locker rooms. She was reluctant to enter, mostly because she did not want her identity to be revealed so soon, and partly because the teenage years were a time where raging hormones were capable of overpowering the conscience.

Sakuno bit her lip and debated whether to hit the showers that day. _I should go in… but then, I've never seen anyone naked before and… god, this is so embarrassing. If I don't go in, they'll find out for sure that I'm not a boy. I've got to blend in! But still. I'm not sure whether I can take the sight of naked young males. I could have a nosebleed in there and then they'd all think I was gay or something._

She decided that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she was going in. _Here I go!_

Steam rose in moist clouds as she entered the shower. She couldn't see a thing. A figure made its way towards her. There he was: Ryoma Echizen in the nude! Sakuno's once virgin eyes were innocent no more. _Oh dear god…_ she thought as she fainted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A voice called out her name. "Sasaki-san?" it said. "Sasaki-san, are you all right now?"

Sakuno fluttered her eyes. Her vision was blurred and she felt a small ache on her back as she tried to sit up. Trying to regain consciousness and focusing her vision, she asked, "Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary."

"Infirmary? But…" Images of the afternoon's events replayed itself like a silent movie. "Oh god…" She clutched her head her forehead. _What the hell was I thinking going in there? Now I've made a total fool of myself by fainting._ _That was a total giveaway of my true gender._

Fuji smiled. "So are you all right now, roomie?"

Sakuno looked up. "I've been emasculated," she stated. "I'm not a man anymore."

Fuji laughed. "You're funny, you know that?"

"I'm serious. All the guys probably think I'm a wuss. They've lost all respect towards me as a guy."

"But you aren't a guy," said Fuji calmly. His eyes had that dangerous glint to them that sent chills up Sakuno's spine.

Sakuno tried to protest, which only resulted in gibberish and much sputtering. "But—wait—how did you know!"

"Well, I _am_ your roommate. I was searching through the closet for a clean pair of socks when I noticed something drop out of your suitcase. Can you guess what it was?"

Sakuno looked dumbfounded. "A ribbon?"

"No. A tampon." Sakuno felt her face turn several nuances of red. "And I wondered why a guy would have that in his possession."

"For nosebleeds?"

Fuji chuckled. "You really are funny. Anyway, I suspected that you either had a perverted fetish with feminine care products or that you were really a girl going incognito. I observed your habits for a while to confirm my suspicions and concluded that you did _not_ have a perverted fetish and that you were really a girl."

Sakuno looked at him, feeling both shocked and offended. _That has got to be the craziest logic I've ever heard… A perverted fetish! What the hell? How did he come up with that?_ "And what if you had concluded wrong and I really had a, uh, perverted fetish with tampons?"

"Well, I would've immediately requested to switch rooms and give 'conflicting interests' as my reason for wanting to switch," Fuji answered. "Don't worry, though, your secret's safe with me. You're a really good tennis player and we need someone like you around. Like I've said before, you've got the skills."

Sakuno's eyes began to water. "Thank you, Fuji-sempai. You don't know how much this means to me. I've risked so much to be here and… I just don't know what I would do if everyone found out I was a girl. They'd start treating me differently and I'd get kicked out of the school."

Fuji smiled knowingly. "I know. Besides, I like having you around." Sakuno blushed, embarrassed. "Now, come on, let's go back to our dorm… _roomie_."

\ 4 \

**A Note from the Author:** I know, I know. I haven't updated in _months_! The insane load of homework I am forced to complete every night… I haven't had much time to have a life. Serves me right, I guess. That's what I get for enrolling in a nationally recognized school for academic excellence. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer:_ _I am in no way associated with Prince of Tennis, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter V**

Sakuno lay on her bed, unconsciously twirling a pen between her fingers, hoping an idea would present itself to her. "I need to come up with something for our play. But what?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by loud smashes coming from the tennis courts. A tennis ball flew through the open window of her dorm and Sakuno caught it easily in her hand. She walked towards the window to look for the one who had served the ball towards her window. "He must have terrible focus… but a lot of power."

"Oi, can you give the ball back?" shouted Ryoma to Sakuno when he saw her.

"Ah! Hai." _Ryoma-kun served that? But the serve lacked control. Not like Ryoma-kun at all._ Sakuno raced down the stairs of her dorm to meet Ryoma at the courts.

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "What the hell is he doing?"

Moments later, Sakuno's voice squeaked, "Here it is!" _I squeaked! Oh god… I can't get any more girly than that._ _He's probably got me all figured out._ She tossed the ball to him.

"You know you didn't have to go all the way downstairs to give the ball back to me. You could've just thrown it."

"Oh… haha," she laughed nervously. "Yeah." An awkward silence dominated the conversation.

Finally, Ryoma suggested, "Say, you want to play a match? Just a short one. One game."

"Um. Sure. I guess."

"All right, get your tennis gear and I'll meet you at the courts in five minutes."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Fuji," came the booming voice of Tezuka-buchou as he took the empty space next to Fuji. "What do you think of Sasaki-san?"

"He's very good."

"What I mean is I have this odd feeling in my gut. There's something odd about that boy, but I can't quite grasp what it is. His skills are definitely something to look at, but his playing style…"

"Is exactly like Ryuzaki-sensei's," Fuji finished, his eyes twinkling. "I think you'd be surprised at what the boy can do once you force him to play his own style."

Tezuka looked at him. "Force?"

"Lure him. Push his limits. Make him sweat. You'll be in for a treat." Fuji glanced around at the other courts absentmindedly, noticing Echizen and his opponent. "That's what Echizen's doing right now."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A neon green tennis ball soared into the air and came at Sakuno at top speed. She recognized it immediately. _Twist serve._ She smiled. She hadn't been watching Ryoma's games in the past for nothing. Sakuno easily returned the serve and ran to the net.

_He's quick_, observed Ryoma running towards the ball. _And he returned my twist serve like it was nothing new to him. As if he expected it._ Ryoma aimed the ball towards the eastern corner of the court.

_Trying to make me run, aren't you?_ Sakuno moved away from the net and ran to the back and reached. Her eyes widened. _Shit, it's too fast!_ _I won't make it in time!_

The ball bounced off the corner, scoring Ryoma a point. "15 - LOVE," shouted the referee.

Ryoma tipped his cap. _Now the real game begins._

"Bring it on," whispered Sakuno, racket in hand. Her senses were tingling; the match exhilarated her.

Again Ryoma served his infamous twist serve, and again Sakuno returned the serve. But this time she did not run to the net. _I mustn't get impatient_, she reminded herself.

Ryoma purposely lobbed the ball high into the air. _Hook_.

Sakuno ran toward the ball. _Line_.

She jumped and tried to smash it. _And sinker_.

Sakuno realized her mistake immediately after hitting a smash. Ryoma slid towards the net and hit his signature move. _Drive B!_, identified Sakuno as she watched helplessly as Ryoma scored another point.

"30 – LOVE," came the referee's call.

_Here comes the serve_. Sakuno returned it and so did Ryoma. She ran toward the ball and displayed one of her signature moves: "1000 Paper Cranes".

Ryoma, clearly not expecting such an attack, stopped in his tracks. _I see a lot of tennis balls. An illusion of some sort?_ _Balls disappeared, only to reappear moments after._ _What the—_

He didn't have time to think. The ball flew past him and he could feel a powerful gust of wind driving the power of the ball. "30 – 15"

Sakuno performed the shot two more times. Ryoma became frustrated. The score was now "30-40".

"Match point," announced the referee.

_This is it_, Sakuno told herself. As soon as she heard the sound of the ball touching the racket, she dashed towards the net and hit a return ace.

"Winner: Sasaki Saku. 0-1."

Ryoma dropped his racket, panting. _He's exceeded my expectations._ Once his breathing became even, he walked up to Sakuno and shook hands. "Good game."

Sakuno blushed. She was thankful that her face was already red from running around the court so that her blush wasn't noticeable.

Ryoma removed his cap and ran his hand through his hair. "Sasaki-san, wasn't it? I'm Echizen. Echizen Ryoma. But you can call me Ryoma. We're the same age anyway."

Sakuno nodded, unsure of what to say. Her thought process had come to a halt and she couldn't come up with anything to say. _Say something, Sakuno! SAY SOMETHING._

"Um, are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"No."

"Well, um, do you want to meet up in the library and work on our drama project?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow then. Ja." Ryoma pushed the gate open and walked out of the courts.

Sakuno watched him leave and smiled like a silly, lovesick girl. _Ryoma-kun…_ Suddenly, she remembered what she had said to Ryoma. "I told him we were going to work on the drama project but I still don't have a script! Ahhhh!" Sakuno sprinted back to her dorm. "I only have a few hours to assemble a rough draft!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakuno glanced at the clocked as she busily typed up a script on the computer in her room. "11:04 p.m.," she said aloud. Her eyes glanced at the sleeping figure of Fuji to see if he had been woken up by her voice. He was still asleep.

Minutes later, several pages arranged themselves neatly on the tray of the printer. "I'm done. _Finally_. Now I'm just going to read this over and then go to bed."

\ 5 \

**A Note from the Author:** Ryoma's finally been introduced into the main storyline! I've decided to try and pick up the pace because the beginning was lacking the appearance of our other lead: Ryoma Echizen.

I'm so glad you all enjoyed that humorous bit about Sakuno's "perverted fetish". Hee-hee. That made me laugh too. :) I appreciate the support that I've gotten from all my readers. Thank you for being patient with me.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer:_ _I am in no way associated with Prince of Tennis, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter VI**

Ryoma paced silently along the aisles of the dim library. He glanced at his watch. "He should've been here by now…" he muttered to himself. "Onitsuka and Fuji-sempai are here already."

"Ryoma!" cried Sakuno. "I'm sorry, I overslept!" She bowed. _I shouldn't have procrastinated… Now Ryoma-kun is mad at me._

After a moment of silence, Ryoma finally said, "Let's get started," and took a seat at one of the empty tables. "You brought the script?"

"Hm? Oh, yes." Sakuno fumbled in her messenger bag. "Got it. Here." Ryoma took the papers from her hands.

Sakuno watched as his sharp eyes quickly scanned the paper. "Hn," he commented. _What does that mean?,_ Sakuno wondered.

Hajime read the script and laughed. Fuji took the paper from his hands and did a thorough examination. "This should be interesting…" he chuckled. "All right, let's do a practice run."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Drama Rehearsal: Final Scene_

Ryoma and Hajime stood next to each other.

"My name is Onitsuka Hajime and I'll be playing a schoolgirl." Hajime flashed a victory sign. "V for victory!" They sweatdropped.

"My name is—"

"Wait, wait." Fuji interrupted. "Hajime, you need to say the girl's name."

"Oh. Right." Hajime cleared his throat. "I'll be playing a girl/boy named Arisaka Mifuyu/Mamoru."

"Echizen Ryoma. Student. Male. Playing Takahara Kyoichi."

_That Echizen_, Fuji thought with a smirk, _Always trying to be the cool one._ "ACTION!"

"Kyoichi," Hajime began. "I've known you for 4 years now and we'll be graduating in a week. I have something I've been meaning to tell you. Please don't hate me."

"Eh? What?" Ryoma turned to face Hajime.

"Not 'Eh? What?', Echizen! Give it more feeling and please stop talking in monosyllables. Let's try this scene again. Echizen, your lines."

Echizen: "What is it?"

Hajime: "The truth is… I'm not who you think I am."

Ryoma: "No need to tell me. I've known you were gay from the beginning."

Hajime: "What?! I mean, no, no, that's not it."

Ryoma: "Then what is it?"

Hajime: "My name isn't Arisaka Mamoru. My name is Mifuyu and I'm really a girl."

Ryoma: "You're… a girl."

Hajime: "I'm sorry! I never meant to—"

Ryoma: "Go to hell. To think I trusted you…"

Hajime: "Kyoichi…"

"In the end, Mifuyu runs off never to be seen again," Fuji finished.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"All right. Rehearsal is over. You guys did well." Everyone grabbed their things and headed to their respective dorms.

Fuji lingered and waited for Sakuno. "I think I know where you got the idea for the script."

Sakuno laughed. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah. Too bad they didn't end up together."

"Yeah…" Sakuno sighed wistfully. "Too bad…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day, Sakuno woke up feeling exhausted. "I should play some tennis. That should wake me up."

Sakuno opened the gates and stepped in. She felt here eyes drooping and she yawned.

Suddenly a stray ball with the force of Momoshiro's Dunk Smash hit her squarely on the head. "Oh god," she heard herself whisper before crumpling to the ground.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakuno opened her eyes, blinked, and took in her surroundings. _I'm in the infirmary again…_

"Sasaki-san! Sasaki-san!" a voice that clearly belong to Momoshiro cried out.

Sakuno merely blinked. She was still in a daze.

"Sasaki-san, I am truly, madly, deeply sorry!"

"Hnn… What… happened?" She rubbed her eyes and focused her eyes on Momo-sempai.

"See, I was playing against Kaidoh and that idiot had to use one of his special moves. So I tried to counter it with my Dunk Smash, but it went awry and instead of hitting towards Kaidoh, it flew towards you. Sasaki-san, I'm sorry!!"

A river of tears overflowed from his eyes. He grabbed both her hands and cried out, "I have hurt you so deeply. I must make it up to you. If you need an eye, I'll give you my eye! If you need a leg, I'll cut off my leg and you can use it. OH! How could I have been so careless?! Sasaki-san, I'm sooooorry!!!"

He glanced up at her for a moment. She remained silent. Momoshiro burst into tears again.

"Oh god, you have amnesia! You don't know who I am! You can't remember anything, you poor thing! I should burn in hell for what I've done!" He bent on his knees and clutched her hands. "I promise, I'll find the best doctor in the whole world. Even if I have to cross the Sahara desert or climb Mount Everest, I'll do it! Or even if I have to—"

"I'm okay… really," Sakuno said, clearly disturbed.

"Sasaki-san! You're alive!"

"Yes. I'm alive. But I don't need an eye transplant. I don't want you to cut off your leg for me. And I know who you are… Momo-sempai."

"Sasaki-san! Oh thank god," he breathed. "How could I have been so—"

_OH, NOT AGAIN_, Sakura thought, feeling panicked. "I get it, Momo-sempai. Really. You're sorry. I get it. And I forgive you. I just fainted, that's all."

"But what if—"

_I have to say something! Fast!_, Sakuno thought hurriedly. "Umm… the nurse said I just need to get some rest. So, if you could um…"

"Oh. Ohhh! Right. I'll leave you here to rest. But from this day on, I will be your protector!"

Sakuno tried to protest, "But—"

But Momoshiro had already left.

"I'm guessing you're all right," said Ryoma, coming out from the shadows.

_Ryoma-kun? Ryoma-kun was here all this time? _Sakuno wondered. _Was he worried about me?_

"That's good," he said at last and walked out the door.

"That was… unexpected," she said to no one in particular.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Echize Ryoma didn't know how the hell he ended up trailing after Momoshiro and that new boy.

_Or rather, GIRL,_ he corrected himself.

He wasn't stupid. His mind was sharp and alert. He had noticed all the oddities and the weird fainting accidents that had been connected to that girl.

_For someone trying to disguise herself, she isn't very good,_ he thought amused. _I feel like I've known her before… _"But where?" he asked himself aloud as he walked down the stairs towards his dorm.

Earlier, it seemed as if his legs had a mind of their own. _Was I worried about her?_ To his surprise, they had led him to the infirmary room where he witnessed Momoshiro's exaggerated speech to the half-asleep Sakuno.

"Momo-sempai's an idiot," Ryoma stated.

A few minutes later, he added, "She's an idiot too."

Finally, he realized that he _had_ been worried about her. "I'm the idiot."

\ 6 \

**A Note from the Author:** Yeah… I know I haven't updated for an extremely long time. School's been tying me down, you know?


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer:_ _I am in no way associated with __Prince of Tennis__, its creator, producers, editors and publishers. I have absolutely no rights to the anime and manga. This fanfiction was made purely from a fan's love for this series and a love for writing._

**ONE OF THE GUYS**

**Chapter VII**

Ryoma lazily returned a tennis ball to the wall near the back of the school. He was bored.

It would have been an ordinary day for him if he had not heard the distinctive voice of Ryuuzaki-sempai coming from outside the fence to his left. He turned his head to see who she was talking to and noticed the new boy, Sasaki-san, walking beside her.

Without thinking, he quickly hid behind a nearby tree and eavesdropped.

"…Now I'm sure you understand the consequences. You can't be here…"

"Yes, grandma. But I'm willing to accept those consequences, whatever they may be."

"I see… All right, then… _Sakuno_." Ryuuzaki-sempai turned the corner as Sakuno turned around to walk back towards the school entrance.

Ryoma quickly hid himself behind the tree to avoid being seen.

_Sakuno?_ thought Ryoma. _SAKUNO?!!_ _That new boy is Sakuno?!_ _That klutzy pigtailed girl?_

He watched Sakuno walk down the block with her head up, shoulders back, emanating a strong presence—so very different from the Sakuno he used remembered then. "She's… changed."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakuno was feeling exhausted. Trying to convince her grandmother that everything she was doing was worth all this trouble had used up most of her energy. She remembered a quote that someone once said to her: "If you don't like where you are (in life, in your job, in love, in your mind), remember that only YOU can change it." This was the reason she went along with Tomo-chan's crazy idea. She wanted to change. She was tired of being pushed aside, ignored.

She ran a hand through her chesnut-colored hair and pictured Ryoma-kun in her mind, then sighed.

A knock awakened her from her dazed state. She walked towards the door and opened it, revealing Momo-sempai holding a paper bag full of snacks. "Sasaki-san, I thought you might be hungry so I bought some snacks for us to share." He grinned at her and let himself in.

"Momo-sempai! You didn't have to. I'm not really that hungry…" she tried to protest. Her words seemed to go unnoticed. "Momo-sempai…?"

She looked over at him. _He's eating like it's his last day on earth_, she thought, inwardly laughing. The bag of snacks was almost empty. He stopped gorging himself for a moment and said, "You're kind of quiet."

"Huh? Um, yeah. I was just thinking, you know."

"About what?" Momo asked, throwing several chocolate _Pocky_ sticks in his mouth. "Girls?"

Sakuno bit her lip and avoided his gaze. "Something like that."

"Oh! Well, if that's your problem, you're stressing too much. Girls are easy. If you want a girl to like you, tease her and say mean things. That should create a 'spark.' Girls hate guys that are too easy. They don't know what the hell they want so you have to keep them on their toes. Take it from me, I'm a ladies' man." He grinned. "Hehe."

Sakuno laughed. "Momo-senpai… you are just…"

"Incredible? Yeah, I know."

"Actually, I was going to say 'unbelievable'."

"Well, unbelievable is fine too. I'm just going to be optimistic and take that as a compliment."

She hit him playfully. "You sure are full of yourself!"

Sakuno looked at the sky and closed her eyes, allowing a gentle breeze to brush against her face.

Momo gazed at Sakuno's face. He looks peaceful, he thought. He's actually kind of… cute, he added to himself. Wait, where did _that_ come from?! he wondered, baffled as he felt his face grow hot.

I'm a guy, he told himself. Images of Sakuno flooded his mind. "Dammit, get out of my head! I'm a heterosexual, testosterone-driven alpha male!! You are NOT CUTE!"

Sakuno looked at him, clearly confused. "Momo-sempai… what—"

He fanned himself. "It's this damn heat! That _must_ be it!" He bolted up and began sprinting. "I'm a guy! I'm a guy! I'm a guy!" he shouted as he dashed past Kaidoh, who was jogging. "I'M A GUY, MAMUSHI!" he cried in Kaidoh's ear.

"Then what the hell were you before?!" Kaidoh called after him.

"Dumbass," Kaidoh muttered under his breath. "He's finally gone crazy. He probably hit himself with his own Dunk Smash!" He snorted at the idea. "Dumbass."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Seigaku tennis club sat idly on the court benches.

Kikumaru wiped beads of sweat off his forehead. "It's hot today…"

"No shit," Kaidoh grumbled, cooling his own face with a moist towel.

Kikumaru pouted. "Meanie…"

Kaidoh glared at him.

Oishi, feeling the growing tension intensified a hundredfold by the heat, suddenly shouted, "Let's all go swimming!"

Sakuno nodded her head vigorously. "I love swimming!"

Ryoma, who had been watching Sakuno intently, smacked her lightly on the head.

"Ow!" Sakuno glared at him. "What was that for?!"

Ryoma rolled his eyes. She was _so_ naïve. "For looking stupid. Stupid people shouldn't be allowed to swim."

You're a _girl_, idiot, he wanted to tell her. You can't swim in a pool with a bunch of guys! They all think you're a guy too!

From the corner of his eye, Fuji chuckled at the exchange between Ryoma and Sakuno. I think I want to have a bit of fun, he thought to himself with a sadistic glint in his eye.

He wrapped a possessive arm around Sakuno and announced, "Sasaki-san and I can't go. We have to… clean our room."

Sakuno crinkled her nose and looked at Fuji. "Clean our room?"

"Among other things," Fuji added, winking at her.

Sakuno didn't know what he meant but agreed anyway. "Oh… okay."

Ryoma glared at Fuji. He was flirting with Sakuno! he thought angrily. That bastard...

Momo ran to Sakuno's side. "I'll help you clean your room, Sasaki-san!"

"'I'm a guy, I'm a guy!' I wonder who said that…" Kaidoh smirked, looking at Momo.

Momo, feeling embarrassed again, retracted his offer to help Sakuno clean her room. "On second thought, it's really hot, Sasaki-san! I think swimming might be good for me."

Inui held up a pitcher containing a purple-gray liquid. "Last one to the pool gets the chance to be the first one to try out my latest concoction!"

Kikumaru sniffed the drink and immediately fainted.

"Eiji!" Oishi cried, kneeling by Kikumaru's limp body.

The others cringed and sprinted to the pool. No way were they going to drink that!

Fuji and Sakuno laughed at the sight of grown boys running and tripping over themselves.

When the rest of the tennis club was gone, Sakuno asked, "Are we really going to clean our room?"

Fuji laughed. "Nah, that was just an excuse."

Sakuno breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

They strolled around the courts in search of a shaded area. They found an oak tree whose branches extended over a large grassy area. Sakuno sat against the tree and stretched her legs.

"Fuji-sempai, can I ask you something?"

He lay down beside her and closed his eyes. "Go on. I'm listening."

"I want to tell Ryoma-kun that I'm a girl. You already know I'm a girl, Fuji-sempai, but Ryoma-kun doesn't. He doesn't know."

He knows more than you realize, Fuji thought, remembering how Ryoma had glared at him just a few minutes ago for getting too friendly with Sakuno. He chuckled quietly to himself.

Sakuno watched him open his cerulean eyes to gaze at the sky.

"Love is built on trust, Sakuno. If you trust Echizen enough to not break your heart, then tell him. It's the only way you can erase your guilt and free your conscience."

She pondered his words for a moment. "Maybe you're right."

\ 7 \

**A Note from the Author:** Omg, look I finally updated! (after almost a year! ) Happy holidays! See? This story isn't dead.


End file.
